CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 144 Ï NUMBER 051 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 40th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, May 5, 2009 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) Also available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 3037 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, May 5, 2009 The House met at 10 a.m. I think it is the only rural region in Canada that does not have walk-in passport service. It means that residents who are in the mining industry and other areas who have to get emergency passports end up having to go to Toronto to get service. They are Prayers looking to establish a fully operational passport office in the city of Timmins to serve the people of all of northeastern Ontario and to alleviate the current workloads and delays. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS [Translation] Ï (1000) FOREIGN AFFAIRS [English] Ms. Johanne Deschamps (Laurentides—Labelle, BQ): Mr. GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS Speaker, I am presenting this morning a petition that is part of the United for Peace campaign. It is signed by many Quebeckers and Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of Canadians who generally support peacebuilding efforts in Canada the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, and throughout the world. pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 14 petitions. The petitioners are calling upon the Parliament of Canada to recognize and support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights *** of Indigenous Peoples. They are also calling upon Parliament to PETITIONS show leadership in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a manner consistent with human rights and international law, and to CANADA-COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT encourage all parties to the conflict in the Philippines to resume Mr. Bill Siksay (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP): Mr. Speaker, this peace talks. Finally, they are calling upon Parliament to support morning I have the pleasure to table petitions signed by people from solutions that go to the roots of the conflict in Colombia. Burnaby, other parts of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario who are concerned about the Canada-Colombia free trade agree- *** ment. [English] They note in particular their concern about violence against QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER workers and members of civil society by paramilitaries in Colombia, Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of pointing out that more than 2,200 trade unionists have been the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, murdered since 1991 as well as violence committed against Question No. 93 will be answered today. indigenous people, Afro-Colombians, human rights activists, work- ers, farmers, labour leaders and journalists. [Text] Question No. 93—Mr. Scott Andrews: They call on the Government of Canada to do a full human rights impact assessment while the agreement is being negotiated to ensure With regard to the issue between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Department of Public Safety, and more specifically Correctional Services of that the principles of fair trade would be taken into account with full Canada (CSC), regarding a new prison in Newfoundland and Labrador to be located environmental, social and human impact studies, so that the in Harbour Grace: (a) are discussions currently ongoing between the federal agreement sincerely respects labour rights and the rights of all government and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador with regards to a parties affected. new prison and, if so, (i) what is the status of these discussions, (ii) who has been involved in these discussions on behalf of the federal government, (iii) has there been PASSPORT OFFICES any discussions with the federal Department of Finance or the Treasury Board Secretariat with regards to financing a new prison for Newfoundland and Labrador; Mr. Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay, NDP): Mr. Speaker, and (b) has any investigation been undertaken with regard to structural requirements I am very proud to rise in the House with a petition from residents of and, if so, (i) what is the capacity of any proposed new structure, (ii) what are the wonderful communities of Englehart, Matachewan, Kirkland estimated construction costs of a building to meet existing demand, (iii) what are the Lake and the central Timiskaming region of Ontario, who are timelines for constructing such a facility? concerned about the lack of walk-in passport service in the northeast Hon. Peter Van Loan (Minister of Public Safety, CPC): Mr. of Ontario. Speaker, the reply from Correctional Service Canada is as follows: 3038 COMMONS DEBATES May 5, 2009 S. O. 52 With regard to a) the province struck a capital planning committee Ï (1005) to discuss the replacement of Her Majesty's Penitentiary and invited Correctional Service Canada’s, CSC, participation. REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY DEBATE SEAL HUNT (i) A number of meetings were held between the capital planning The Speaker: The Chair has received a request for an emergency committee and the consulting firm engaged by the province to debate from the hon. member for Cape Breton—Canso. I will hear develop a design concept. The province also engaged a consultant to his arguments on this matter now. carry out a site impact analysis study in respect of the location of the replacement for Her Majesty's Penitentiary. The respective ministers Mr. Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton—Canso, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, responsible for corrections have met and exchanged letters on a I stand before you with a request to hold an emergency debate. number of occasions during the past year. I am sure all members of the House are very much aware of the actions taken by the European parliament to ban all products that are (ii) The regional administrator policy and planning of the Atlantic generated from the Canadian seal hunt. I cannot state emphatically region is CSC’s representative on the provincial capital planning enough the devastating impact this is going to have on rural committee. communities throughout eastern Quebec, Newfoundland, Cape Breton, in fact, throughout all of the Atlantic provinces. (iii) No discussions with the Department of Finance and/or Treasury Board Secretariat in respect of financing a new prison for This is an international affront to Canada. We cannot sit back as a Newfoundland and Labrador have occurred. Parliament and stand for this. We have to stand together as a Parliament and make sure that all persons in the European parliament With regard to b) (i) (ii) (iii) CSC is unable to answer the specific understand what is being undertaken in that house. questions for part (b) of the parliamentary question as they fall under the responsibility of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The seal hunt for many is the only opportunity they have to generate any household revenue throughout the course of the winter *** months. It may seem meagre to some, but when someone is trying to feed a family and pay the bills of an average household in a remote [English] or rural area, in an outport or in a coastal community, it is significant. STARRED QUESTIONS What the European parliament has undertaken puts a great number Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of of Canadians at risk, a great number of Canadian households at risk. the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I hope that all parliamentarians will show courage. I hope that would you be so kind as to call Starred Question No. 97. I ask that it you, Mr. Speaker, will see the merit and the wisdom in hosting this be printed in Hansard as if read. debate to make sure that this issue gets a fulsome debate to show [Text] how Canadians are going to be hurt. I ask that you entertain this important issue and this request. Question No. *97—Mr. Jim Maloway: The Speaker: The Chair recognizes the importance of the issue Concerning the rehabilitation of the Disraeli bridges in the riding of Elmwood— raised by the hon. member for Cape Breton—Canso. Transcona in Winnipeg, which are expected to be closed for 16 months, did the government have any communications or requests for assistance from the Mayor of The Chair also notes that the Standing Committee on Fisheries Winnipeg to shorten the length of that closure or to construct an additional span and Oceans tabled a report on the subject of the seal hunt on which when finished would allow for no closure at all and, if so, what are the details February 11th. There are three motions for concurrence in that report of these communications? standing in the names of three different hon. members on the notice Hon. John Baird (Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and paper which could be moved under concurrence in committee Communities, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am informed by Transport reports and generate a three hour debate on the subject immediately, Canada that there are no records of communications or requests for if not sooner. assistance from the Mayor of Winnipeg concerning the rehabilitation In the circumstances, I think the matter can be left to be dealt with of the Disraeli bridges. by the House in the normal course since these motions are there. I do not know that it requires the use of the emergency debate provisions I am informed by Infrastructure Canada that there are no records of the House. of communications or requests for assistance from the Mayor of Winnipeg concerning the rehabilitation of the Disraeli bridges. Accordingly, I am going to deny the hon. member's request at this time.